Words Matter: Moving Away From “Special Interests”

Co-authored by Miranda Melcher

“Special interests” is often used to describe things someone is fascinated by or focused on more than “normal.” It can be a medical term (as in restricted interests in the DSM*), a well-meaning term, and a therapeutic term (perseveration), often used in discussions about autism but used with learning differences as well. However, as discussed in a prior blog on labels, words matter, and the term “special interests” can be experienced as judgmental and can alienate clients. Alternatively, we suggest you encourage and lead with your student’s passions helping them see that they are more than their disability (Broitman et al., 2020).

Why Avoid the Term “Special Interests”

“Special interests” sounds like a neutral phrase, certainly more than “abnormal interests” or “restricted interests.” But it puts the interests in question in a separate category from everyone else, an "othering" of whatever description comes next. Consider a young girl, who is interested in horses, has posters of horses on her bedroom walls, chooses to wear clothes with horses on them, and people know to give her horse-related gifts. Is that an interest? Or a "special interest"? What difference does it make? Why is a medical label needed? What’s wrong with this young girl liking horses, wanting to wear horse t-shirts, to stare at horse posters from her bed?

Maybe nothing. However, the intensity of the interest often makes others anxious or uncomfortable. Family members may fear others' reactions and be embarrassed because it doesn’t look “normal,” by which they really mean “neurotypical.” A parent might worry that this will result in future problems and hope that broadening or changing their child’s “special interest” might prevent that.

However, even if we accept that a young girl’s interest in horses does not need to be called a “special interest,” is that because our social conception can already include the idea of child plus girl plus horse interest being “normal”? What if she was interested in battleships? Or geology? Or construction? Multiple examples exist. Is a lifelong supporter of a particular sports team who wears team clothes most days someone with “special interests”? Consider the teen who is crazy about a pop star.

The point here is that everyone has interests. Some interests may be lifelong, others of shorter duration. Some interests may be the same as others who share one’s gender, age, class, location, or other characteristics, but some might not. Some interests might be the main thing one thinks about or likes to talk about, whereas some interests exist alongside many others. Some interests might be less related to the rest of one’s life. Others might be part of one’s daily existence and even work.

So why are some interests considered “special” and used as part of medical diagnoses? Who is deciding which interests are normal vs. “problematic”? Is it due to a particular level of intensity or a “socially acceptable” association with gender or age? Should we unthinkingly accept those definitions? More importantly, is this a term that we need to use at all? What paths can we open up, to communication or engagement when we include, notice, and work with peoples’ interests without making them think they’re abnormal?

How to Work With and Engage a Client’s Preferred Interests

Interests can be a powerful way to initiate and deepen communication. For example, explaining to students how the new information or skills they are learning relate to something they are interested in from popular culture is a popular teaching technique. Similarly, explaining how gaining a new piece of knowledge or developing a hard-won skill will enable the further pursuit of something one is interested in can be crucial to encouraging people. “If you do this seemingly boring and mundane thing, here’s how it will enable you to achieve your goal later.”

Kristie Patten Koenig, chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy at New York University, noticed that most of the people she interviewed had something they were passionate about and loved to engage in but were often discouraged from pursuing during school. “It was clear to me that we were missing a wealth of information about the strengths of these individuals and what drove them,” Koenig said. “They were beaten down by professionals trying to fix them. That was a turning point for me as a researcher and clinician.”

The experience inspired Koenig to shift the focus of her career. Rather than trying to overcome “deficits” in people with autism, she now explores ways to build on preferred interests. “It’s a real avenue for learning and growth, for showing their competence,” said Koenig. “It’s about bringing special interests into the forefront and using them as motivation in learning at school or at home.”

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Our research found that using a student’s passions and preferred interests helps them better engage in the material and feel seen and accepted for who they are (Broitman et al., 2020). Just like teachers have used the musical Hamilton to engage students in U.S. history classes, a person’s interests can be brought into skill and knowledge development that might otherwise be even more challenging. For example, if the girl with the horses has a non-verbal learning disorder, she might struggle with certain kinds of math. Making word problems about horses will not magically solve those math challenges. Still, they can at least be a clear signal that she is being seen and considered as an individual and that this difficult skill acquisition process is made as relevant and painless as possible. Similarly, if the task is developing essay writing skills, why not let the topic of the essay be about horses or something related so that the knowledge gain needed for the essay is of inherent interest to the person?

This can be even more powerfully demonstrated when combined with strengths-based therapeutic relationships, as described in previous posts on listening and learning from your client. Alongside bringing in someone’s interests to help with areas of weakness, encouraging someone to explore their preferred interests can also bolster strengths. For example, people with NVLD are often highly verbal but may struggle with unstructured social cues but still want to make friends. Finding ways for these strengths to shine rather than get in their way can make a huge difference. For example, recess, parties, and other unstructured social time often create awkward social situations. On the other hand, a more structured situation with specific and clear rules, such as a debate club, theater group, choir, or an oral presentation, might allow their abilities and interests to shine through.

Let’s Retire “Special” Interests

Few people like to be called “weird” or “abnormal,” and yet that is exactly what the euphemism “special interests” does. And to whose benefit? How does it help therapists, parents, teachers, potential friends, or the person themselves to label an interest “special”? Consider learning what someone is interested in as part of developing communication or a relationship with them. Consider helping make knowledge and skill acquisition less painful by incorporating interests. Consider encouraging interests as ways to increase knowledge and skills. Consider doing all of this without using or needing the crutch of the term “special interests.”

Miranda Melcher is an expert on neurodiverse inclusive education and co-author of the book NVLD and Developmental Visual-Spatial Disorder in Children.

*DSM5-Diagnostic Criteria for 299.00 Autism Spectrum Disorder include:

1. Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (e.g., strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or perseverative interests).